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(No Model.)

J. A. HUNT. FIRE ESCAPE.

WITNESSES INVENTOH awn/We IJBZzJ AHcn/ E.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQEQ JOHN A. HUNT, OF INDIANAPOLIS,INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,565, dated August30, 1892.

Application filed February 9, 1892.

carrier which is adapted by means of certain peculiarities ofconstruction and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter moreparticularly described and claimed, to serve the purpose of conveyingpersons and articles from a higher to a lower elevation and to be easilyand safely manipulated, whereby it is of peculiar value in cases ofemergency, as When conflagrations occur in large buildings and the like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a perspective view of a building with my improved device attachedto one side to serve as a fire-escape; Fig. 2, a side elevation of saiddevice at the lower end on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 a transversevertical sectional view looking in the direction indicated by the arrowsfrom the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the portions marked A represent the framework uponwhich the mechanism of my improved device is mounted; B, anendless-chain ladder; 0, steps or seats mounted upon said endlessladder, and D a brakeby which the movement may be controlled and itsspeed regulated.

The framework Amay be of any desired form or description and is stoutlysecured to the side of the building when, as in the case illustrated, itis arranged to be used on the outside. It is arranged at an angle, asshown, so that passengers thereon may ride down an incline, which hasmany advantages over a perpendicular descent. At the upper end theframework may extend upward to form an inclosure adjacent to a window ordoor, as also shown in the drawings, and a platform may be built as apart thereof, onto which persons may step from the inside of thebuilding through said window or door. Upon this framework are bearings Aand A for the shafts of the sprocket-wheels, over which the Serial No.420,869. (No model.)

chains of the chain ladder run. One set of these bearings, preferablythe upper set A, are of the ordinary form and are attached in a fixedposition. The lower ones A are mounted in slides A and are operated byscrews A passing through upward projections a and provided withhand-wheels or equivalent devices a By this means the tension of thechain ladder may be quickly and easily adjusted.

The chain ladder B consists of two endless chains connected by rungs, asusual. It runs over the sprocket-wheels B and B which are carried onshafts resting, respectively, in the bearings A and A The upper ordescending portions of the chains rest upon and are supported by theupper edges of the side timbers of the framework A, and are thusprevented from sagging. The under or ascending portions of these chainshang loose, except that they are supported at intervals by littleprojecting stud-shafts having antifriction rollers, which rest uponcleats attached to the inner lower sides of the side pieces of theframework A, as shown most plainly in Fig. 3.

The steps or seats 0 are secured by means of angle-frames composed ofthe parts 0 and O to the chains B. These frame parts are securedtogether by means of pivots c, and they are secured to the chains byother pivots or pivot-bolts 0 0 These joints permit the structure topass around the wheels at the ends and thus have a continuous movementwithout breakage or disarrangement of any of the parts. The pivots orpivot-bolts 0 also form the stud-shafts upon which theantifriction-rollers c are placed, which support the under or ascendingportions of the chains and keep them from sagging to too great anextent.

The brake D is arranged adjacent to and adapted to come in contact witha frictionpulley D, mounted on the end of one of the shafts carrying thesprocket -wheels over which the chains run, preferably the upper one, asshown. This brake maybe of any desired form. It is preferably a leverhaving a concave shoe fitting the surface of the friction-Wheel, asshown, or a strap-brake which encircles and comes in contact with aconsiderable portion of the surface of said friction- Wheel. It can bebest operated by a cord depending from the end of the lever or the endof the strap to near the ground, where a person can stand and hold itwith just that force of contact necessary to regulate the speed of thedescent, and can also stop it from time to time to permit persons tomount the steps or seats and dismount therefrom. As will readily beunderstood, by a proper manipulation of this brake a very speedy descentmaybe secured, while the speed can be checked when the passengers arriveat the bottom, thus allowing them to dismount without difficulty.

The steps or seats may be wide enough for two, three, or more personsandla number of them may be attached, as shown. Therefore a large numberof persons can be taken from frames composed of parts 0 G pivoted to thechains and pivoted together, and-seats or steps 0, secured to saidframes, whereby the necessary movement is secured to permit thecontinuous motion of the carrier, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination,in acarrier, of aframework set at an angle, bearingson said frame work, shafts carrying wheelsmountedin said maybe secured,substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, in a carrier, of a framework set at an angle, atraveling chain-carrier mounted thereon having seats or steps securedthereto extending out therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction,thus producing a substantially level platform for earrying thepassengers.

5. The combination, in acarrier, of a framework set at an angle andframes secured thereto in suoha position that the upper mem ber thereofwill be at substantiallyalevel with a seat or step portionsecuredthereto, substanstantially as shownand described.

6. The combination, in a carrier, of traveling chains, frames pivotedthereto having two portions which extendout ina horizontal direction oron a level but at an angle with the chain and its direction of travel,the upper portion of which carries a seat part and the lower portion afoot-rest part, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 2d day of February, A. D. 1892.

JOHN A. HUNT. [L. s.]'

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, J. A. WALSH.

